Posted by Mike Florio on March 23, 2010 7:20 PM ETAs we've mentioned once or twice, quarterback Tim Tebow's habit of openly expressing his religious beliefs could potentially rub folks the wrong way, especially in a locker room of grown men who choose to keep their beliefs to themselves, who don't share his beliefs at all, and/or who only want to hear "God bless" after they have sneezed.

We're told that Tebow already has gotten a taste of the resistance he might face at the next level.

At the Scouting Combine, the Wonderlic exam is administered to players in groups. The 12-minute test is preceded by some brief instructions and comments from the person administering the test.

Per a league source, after the person administering the test to Tebow's group had finished, Tebow made a request that the players bow their heads in prayer before taking the 50-question exam.

Said one of the other players in response: "Shut the f--k up." Others players in the room then laughed.

We're not passing judgment on this one; we're just passing along what we've heard. And it illustrates the type of challenges that could be faced by the team that drafts Tebow.

That said, some teams might embrace those challenges. The final decision will depend largely on the composition of the team, and the personalities of the coach, the G.M., and the owner.

_________________"If you worry about what the fans say, you’re going to be sitting with them."
-Jim Schwartz

March 23rd, 2010, 8:23 pm

DJ-B

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2347

I'm probably going to hell for it but I was hoping against all hope that somebody said exactly that, and when I read it, I still chuckled evilly(?) to myself and smiled. And I Like Tebow as a Leader/Player.

I'm probably going to hell for it but I was hoping against all hope that somebody said exactly that, and when I read it, I still chuckled evilly(?) to myself and smiled. And I Like Tebow as a Leader/Player.

I Can picture it in my Head clear as day. Just Awesome.

That's something to be proud of. Hell won't be the picnic people seem to think it will be.

March 24th, 2010, 1:30 am

DJ-B

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: April 5th, 2007, 5:51 pmPosts: 2347

I actually have no problem with people with any personal beliefs. I have a problem with them asking me to bow my head in prayer to their god however. I wouldnt have said it quite as rude, because I am generally polite, but I still would have said something.

March 24th, 2010, 1:41 am

DayDreamer

National Champion

Joined: December 18th, 2008, 9:18 amPosts: 844Location: Where I lay my head is home

I agree with DJ-B, I'd have said something too. Religious beliefs are personal and publicizing it is bad enough, but some people just force others and there is every reason to contest that kind of things.

And, that story is definitely funny.

March 24th, 2010, 1:54 am

wjb21ndtown

DayDreamer wrote:

I agree with DJ-B, I'd have said something too. Religious beliefs are personal and publicizing it is bad enough, but some people just force others and there is every reason to contest that kind of things.

And, that story is definitely funny.

I agree 100% with both you and DJ-B

March 24th, 2010, 9:17 am

Wayne Fontes

Color Commentator - John Madden

Joined: January 19th, 2007, 3:21 amPosts: 1919Location: A2

This made me laugh too when I heard it. Tebow can do what he wants, but to be so blatant about it and getting shot down makes me chuckle. I'm a man of faith and I may have thrown one up to the big guy before the test, but to assume everyone else wanted to is just arrogant. Also, it's the Wonderlic Test, not the LSAT or MCAT.

He didn't necessarily bomb the test, but he didn't do all that hot and that's funny.

I hope the guy who told him to shut the f up is a defensive end or rush linebacker and they both go to teams in the same division. A built in nemesis!

He reached out, via agent Jimmy Sexton, in response to Tuesday night's story regarding the incident during the Wonderlic testing at the Scouting Combine. As a league source told us, Tebow said something in the testing room about saying a prayer. And then another player said something in response. And then some of the other players laughed.

But Tebow says it didn't happen.

"Not one single word of it is true," Tebow told me.

Tebow has a very genuine and disarming way about him. There's an innocence and kindness in his voice that conflicts with the image of a highly successful college quarterback, who was arguably one of the best college football players of all time.

He was nevertheless firm and resolute in his denial.

"One of the number one things for me is being someone of character and when I say something people can take it to the bank," Tebow said. "That story is absolutely not true."

Tebow then named several of the other players who were in the room, and he invited me to check his version with each of them.

Tebow explained that he said nothing to the group of roughly 100 players, and he said that he spoke only to BYU quarterback Max Hall.

After talking to Tebow, I immediately contacted the source for the story, who agreed with my assessment that Tebow is "the real deal." But the source didn't back down.

It's possible that Tebow made a comment intended for Hall that was overheard by another player, who then made a profane comment in response that was not heard by Tebow. Still, Sexton told me in a follow-up e-mail that Tebow "never said anything remotely close" to what had been attributed to him.

We'll keep digging on this one. We're confident that our source didn't make it up, but we were impressed by Tebow's willingness to reach out and explain his position. Though I'm usually even more skeptical when someone tells me multiple times in a seven-minute conversation that he always tells the truth, when Tebow said it I believed it.

That said, there has to be a way to harmonize the two stories. Tebow believes he's telling the truth, and I believe our source. We'll keep after this one and report back when we have more.

March 24th, 2010, 7:18 pm

lightning_in_a_bottle

Pro Bowl Player

Joined: March 6th, 2006, 1:29 amPosts: 2490Location: The Terrordome

BillySims wrote:

DJ-B wrote:

I'm probably going to hell for it but I was hoping against all hope that somebody said exactly that, and when I read it, I still chuckled evilly(?) to myself and smiled. And I Like Tebow as a Leader/Player.

I Can picture it in my Head clear as day. Just Awesome.

That's something to be proud of. Hell won't be the picnic people seem to think it will be.

Actually, I heard it's an island with Evangeline Lilly on it. Count me in

_________________"If you worry about what the fans say, you’re going to be sitting with them."
-Jim Schwartz

I'm probably going to hell for it but I was hoping against all hope that somebody said exactly that, and when I read it, I still chuckled evilly(?) to myself and smiled. And I Like Tebow as a Leader/Player.

I Can picture it in my Head clear as day. Just Awesome.

That's something to be proud of. Hell won't be the picnic people seem to think it will be.

Actually, I heard it's an island with Evangeline Lilly on it. Count me in

I take no joy in saying that I have no dificulty believing that you are SOOOOOOOOOOOO IN.

March 24th, 2010, 10:28 pm

steensn

RIP Killer

Joined: June 26th, 2006, 1:03 pmPosts: 13429

Re: Tebow will "just be himself" at Senior Bowl

Much to your guys dismay... Tim Tebow will not be there on draft day...